The Recovering Dissident Catholic

A Former CINO (Catholic In Name Only) gradually learns and accepts the whole Magisterium Truth and Nothing but the Truth

August 29, 2008

Labor Day for Life and Blog Break!

I know, I just got back but I'm going to be offline until late Monday afternoon, September 1st. I'm going to South Dakota to visit my Grandmother who is gravely ill. Please remember her in your prayers. Thanks.

In the meantime, if you are not planning to be camped out at the Governor's Mansion all weekend (News Flash: from interview with Pawlenty on WCCO A.M. Radio moments ago it sounds very definite that Pawlenty will NOT be McCain's V.P.), Pro-Life Action Ministries is sponsoring a Prayer Vigil for our Nation on Sept 1, 2008 from 9-11 a.m. at Regions Hospital (640 Jackson in St. Paul). Regions is an abortuary that killed more than 700 children in 2007. The Vigil is deliberately timed to coincide with the start of the Republican National Convention being held a few blocks away.

August 28, 2008

Simple Understanding

You don't have to know St. Augustine or quote Pope John Paul II or have read G.K. Chesterton to understand and know the BASICS of Catholic teaching and belief. Pick up a Catechism of the Catholic Church. There are even Compendium documents of individual sections if reading the entire book is too intimidating. You can even read it online

I'm by no means faulting those who have the vast knowledge of the writings of the Church Fathers and history of the Church-and can quote from either at will. God bless them! But, for those of us without the time or the ability to use that knowledge in our arsenal we can use the Catechism with the same authority and assurance.

Is Church teaching, even if you are only pulling it from your Catechism, easy? No, but it doesn't have to be overly complicated and intimidating. My Dad only knows our Faith from his Baltimore Catechism -the same one he had to memorize sections of as a child. In his simplicity, he probably knows more about our core Faith than I do-definitely more than Rep. Pelosi.

August 27, 2008

A Teaching Moment: Don't Let It Pass Us By!

Gentle Reader: I'm sure many reading this blog are already following the news about U.S. House Speaker, and Roman Catholic, Rep. Nancy Pelosi's, horribly inaccurate explanations of the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church regarding the sanctity of human life on Meet the Press .

Friends, I feel enormous empathy for her. I do. Really. Not all that long ago I would have probably given a similarly distorted response. I'm praying for her.

Is anyone really shocked to hear what she had to say? Anyone? We all know how appallingly bad catachesis has been for the last several decades and here it was: irrefutable proof of how bad it really has been played out on the public stage for all to hear by a highly educated and powerful public figure.

When many of us of a certain age were taught, not from what the Church documents really said or what the Church really meant, but from the mouths and beliefs of dissenters, the distortions of the press, and the relatavistic temptations of society, what did we expect? What can we expect, but what we just heard?

Is it an accident that this public embarrassment happened only a few weeks after we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae? Is it an accident that this happened right before the political convention of a party that has historically sided with those who would belittle and destroy human life? You better believe it isn't! Could this be the moment that we look back on as the axis point in which acceptance of Pope Pius VI's encyclical finally happened?

I truly believe that this moment could be a massive turning point for us as Catholics who are tired of our shared teachings and beliefs being thoroughly misconstrued; who are tired of human life being treated like it's expendable. This is the chance to stand up for life! This is the chance to speak out and educate about what the Church actually teaches regarding the sanctity of human life! It goes FAR beyond educating only Ms. Pelosi and politicians! This is the moment to reach out to the people you see every day! If you hear them mumbling about the story, speak up! If you see them reading the story, speak up! If you see them viewing a recap on TV or YouTube, speak up! If you hear it on a radio program, call in! If you see it in the paper, write a letter to the editor! If you have family or friends that you will see during this upcoming long weekend (in the U.S. it is!) take a moment to bring it up in discussion! Remember: charity, always charity.

Already, a few Archbishops and some members of Congress have publicly spoken out. How many of US will do the same? Don't sit around and wait for what Father may or may not say this Sunday or at your next daily Mass! What are YOU going to do about it NOW?

August 26, 2008

Ripped From the Headlines!!!!!

News feeds from the DNC...

(insert speakers name here) RIPS McCain!!!!!

Gosh, who could've predicted that would happen!!!???!!!

Best story about the Democrats that I've read all week (so far): A story about how the campaign turned in Obama's favor with the defeat of Clinton in South Carolina's primary and a campaign aide said that Bill Clinton was convinced they could win in SC because "he had an inflated sense of his own importance" ROFL!

August 25, 2008

The DNC

The poster for my new political party: The Catechism Party (visioned by Vincenzo)

Rumor has it the nearly dead Democratic celebrity Sen. Ted Kennedy may address the DNC tonight.

In response, the Republicans plan to bring out their nearly dead celebrity at their convention: Sen. John McCain.

A Cranky Cathy political quote “All the major party candidates suck.” (let Cokie Roberts top that level of erudite insight!)

Is the addition of Biden to the Democratic ticket supposed to make us burn with barely suppressed longing for an Obama/Biden Presidency? Is Obama holding his 2 fingers to his lips and furrowing his brow supposed to make us believe he’s actually thinking beyond his pay grade as opposed to following his media advisor’s directions? Is anyone confident that McCain is solidly pro-life? Does anyone wish Howard Dean would scream? (I do, I loved that!)

Is anyone, besides me (and Mitchell!), sorry the true unscripted drama of the Olympics has been replaced by this scripted political hogwash? You know it's a sad day when an event in CHINA looks more unpredictable than anything in the U.S.!!! The only thing amusing me these days (besides reworking the pronouns and verbs of Father Joncas’ “Take and Eat”) is the always shadowy threat of the Clintons over the DNC. Who knows what they or their friends could do during the Democratic convention? Will someone end up dead in a park?

Who is there for those of us who vote morally? No one. This is what the "common good" plank has given us. The PC Goldilocks and the Three Bears platform: Not too hard, not too soft. Since absolutes are to be frowned upon, it can't be just right either. No one wants to go to Hell alone.